Rocker chef Chuck Hughes is no stranger to high pressure, a hot stove, and cool ambiance. When he’s not kicking back and cooking up killer cuisine for his friends on Chuck’s Day Off, he’s busy calling the shots in the kitchen at his hot Montreal restaurant, Garde Manger.

Reservations are hard to come by at this dimly-lit, shabby-chic eat spot, where chef Hughes serves up some of Montreal’s most inspired and innovative modern French fare (two words: Lobster Poutine). Each day, running the kitchen at this trendy hotspot demands creativity, discipline, and passion — and Chuck’s got all three in spades.